Armed Robbery Response and Prevention

How important is armed robbery response training for the late night retail industry? The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) think it is very important and so should employers in this industry. The OSHA directive CPL 02-01-052 dated September 8, 2011 listed late night retail settings as one of their high risk work environments along with Healthcare and Social Services settings. Employers in the business of convenience stores, liquor stores and gas stations have now been put on official notice that employee security awareness training for the crime of robbery in their work environments is also a workplace violence compliance issue.

Factors that put these types of employees at risk include but are not limited to: exchange of money in public spaces, 24 hour operations, solo or isolated work sites, workspaces with obstructed public view, the sale of alcohol, poorly lit parking areas, and immediately available parking for vehicles used to escape. Some of these factors cannot be controlled but many can. A robbery prevention and response training program for employees can help deter these crimes simply by making the individual store a more dangerous environment in which the criminal must operate. Store modifications to increase visibility, brighten lighting, limit obstructing signage on windows, install bullet resistant glass, advertise surveillance cameras, and perhaps plant die packs or bait money, are just a few of the physical modifications to increase store security. However, a valuable component for the robbery response program is for the employee to be training in what to do, and what not to do, in the event of a robbery attempt. Both deterrence and apprehension after the fact will dissuade future attempts, and will likely force the potential robber to select another environment.

This training should be done not just to reduce liability or attain some measure of compliance, but to reduce the risk for robbery and protect the employees. It is the right thing to do. Online training courses can be a very cost effective training platform for companies with employees across the country. For a detailed Armed Robbery Response course, go to: www.imac-training.com.